Permanent wave composition for hair and process of using it

ABSTRACT

Hair shaping composition comprising a mercapto salt of a carboxylic acid together with a salt of ascorbic or glyoxylic acid. The permanency of the shaping and elasticity of the hair are improved.

United States Patent Wajaroff et a1.

Oct. 7, 1975 PERMANENT WAVE COMPOSITION FOR HAIR AND PROCESS OF USING IT Inventors: Theodor Wajaroff; Eugen Konrad;

Erwin Bettinger, all of Darmstadt,

I Germany Assignee: Wella AG, Darmstadt, Germany Filed: Mar. 9, 1973 Appl. No.: 339,941

Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 21, 1972 Germany 2213671 US. Cl 132/7; 8/102 Int. Cl A4Sd 7/00 Field of Search 132/7; 8/l0.2; 424/72,

Primary Examiner-G. E. McNeil] Attorney, Agent, or FirmMichael S, Striker [57] ABSTRACT Hair shapingfcomposition comprising a mereapto salt of a carboxylic acid together with a salt of ascorbic or glyoxylic acid; The permanency of the shaping and elasticity of the hair are improved.

4: 13 Claims, No Drawings PERMANENT WAVE COMPOSITION FOR I-I AIR- AND PROCESS OF USING IT BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates to a permanent wave composition and more generally to a'hair-shaping composition for human hair and a process of using it.

The shaping of human hair ordinarily is carried out by applying a reducing agent to the hair. This results in an opening up of the bridge connection between the peptide chains in thekeratin of the hair due to reductive action and thus causes a softening of'the hair. If a permanent wave is wanted the hair is then brought into the new shape by means of rollers. If a permanent straightening of curly hair is desired the shaping is effected by combing the softened hair. After the agent has acted on the hair for a sufficient time, for instance between and 20 minutes, the excess shaping agent is usually rinsed off with water and the hair is then treated with a suitable oxidizing setting agent. This after-treatment causes, within the necessary period of time, such as 10 to minutes, an oxidative recrosslinking of the broken bridge connections. The hair thus is permanently set in the new shape.

Suitable reducing agent used in these processes are principally salts, preferably ammonium salt, of mercapto carboxylic acids preferably of'thioglycolic acid and thiolactic acid. The subsequent setting of the hair' is preferably effected with hydrogen peroxide or its addition compounds as oxidizing agent. It is thus possible to obtain permanent waving or permanent straightening of the hair which usually lasts for a few months. However, these processes havevarious shortcomings because of too little shaping which also starts partly disappearing soon and because of lack of elasticity of the hair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention resides in the finding that these shortcomings can be avoided by adding to the shaping composition which, as customary consists of a salt of a mercapto carboxylic acid, additionally a salt of ascorbic or glyoxylic acid.

The shaping composition is applied to the hair and permitted to become effective whereupon thereafter a setting composition containing hydrogen peroxide or an addition compound thereof is applied.

DETAILS OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The setting agent may be applied to the hair after application of the shaping composition without intermediate rinsing.

If the purpose of the treatment is to obtain a permanent wave for the hair it is preferable to pre-wet the hair with a portion, such as about one-half to two-thirds of the shaping composition and then to roll up the hair on the permanent wave rollers. The rolled up hair is then further wetted with the remainder of the shaping composition and may be shielded by means of a hoodshaped plastic cover. After acting on the hair for about 10 to minutes the rolled up hair is then treated with a portion, such as about one half of the setting composition which is permitted to act on the hair for about 2 to 3 minutes. The hair is then unrolled from the rollers and thereafter the remainder of the setting agent is applied which is again permitted to act on the hair for another 1 to 3 minutes. The hair is finally rinsed with water which step may be followed by the usual final treatment for obtaining the desired hair style.

If a straightening of curly hair is intended the shaping agent in a thickened form is applied to the hair and is permitted to act on it forabout 10 to 20 minutes while the hair is repeatedly combed. The hair is subsequently treated for about 3 to 7 minutes with a setting agent which likewise is used in thickened condition. This is followed by rinsing of the hair with water. Thereafter the usual final treatment may be carried out for obtaining the desired hair style.

Both of the desired processes are paricularly suitable embodiments for obtaining a permanent shaping of the hair. However, the invention is not limited thereto. For instance depending on the condition of the hair and the composition of the shaping agent a somewhat longer or shorter treatment time may be advantageous. If desired a shortening of the time for shaping the hair may also be effected by additionalextemal application of heat such as by a drying hood while the shaping agent acts on the hair.

The process of the invention can also be carried out in other known manners but an intermediate rinsing between the shaping step and setting step should be omitted. For instance in case of a permenent wave treatment the pro-wetting of the unrolled hair with the shaping composition can be omitted. The washed and towel dry hair in this case is treated with the shaping composition only after rolling up the hair on the rollers. In all cases it is however essential that the oxidizing substance contained in the setting agent is present in an amount to have always present an excess relative to the reducing agents in the shaping composition.

The addition of saltts of ascorbic acid and/or glyoxylic acid which have a reducing effect, to the shaping composition and the oxidative treatment with the setting agent immediately thereafter result in an exothermic reaction which leads to a heat development directly in and on the treated hair. The thus induced temperature increase activates the fixing or setting operation and thus results in a thorough hardening or curing of the keratin of the hair.

As a result of this combination of steps a substantial improvement is obtained in regard to the permanency of the shaping and with regard to the elasticity and general condition of the hair.

This result could not be obtained by the prior art even though the hydrogen peroxide may have been used in an increased concentration. This result likewise is not obtained by simply using mercapto carboxylic acid containing shaping compositions if the salts of the ascorbic acid and/or glyoxylic acid is omitted. If such a shaping composition without these special salts is applied and a hydrogen peroxide containing setting agent is used immediately thereafter a heat generation because of anexothermic oxidation reaction likewise will occur. However, this heat development is not sufficient to cause setting of the hair of a permanency and type as obtained by the composition and process of the invention.

The salts of the ascorbic and/or glyoxylic acid are preferably employed in a total concentration of about 2 to 4%. The salts may be the water soluble ammonium-, alkali-, or earth alkali salts and preferably are selected from the group consisting of ammonium, lithium, sodium, potassium and magnesium salts. It should be understood however that these salts neither by themselves have a hair shaping effect nor do they have a activating effect on the effective agents present in the mercapto carboxylic acid salts.

The remaining parts of the shaping agent may be as conventional. They may contain the water soluble salts of mercapto carboxylic acids, such as the ammonium or alkali salts, for instance sodium or potassium salts of thioglycolic or thiolactic acid in a concentration of about 0.2 to 1.2 mol per liter. The composition should be used in an alkaline condition preferably at a pH between 7 and 9.6.

For obtaining a permanent wave the shaping composition is preferably used in the form of a solution or liquid emulsion. In order to straighten the hair thickened compositions in the form of creams or gels are preferred.

The setting agent used in combination with the shaping agent of the invention is based, as conventional on hydrogen peroxide or its addition compounds. As addition compounds may for instance be mentioned urea peroxide, melamine peroxide and sodium perborate. The solutions preferably are neutral or acidic aqueous solutions containing about 2 to 4% hydrogen peroxide.

In addition to the shaping and setting agents there can also be used the usual additives such as wetting agents, perfuming oils, dyes, dulling agents, thickeners, fats, waxes and similar.

The following examples will further illustrate the invention. All percentages in these examples are by weight.

EXAMPLE 1 A permanent wave treatment was effected with the following principle compositions:

A. Permanent wave solution 10.0 g ammoniumthioglycolate 3.7 g ammonium salt of glyoxylic acid l.0 g ammonia (as NH 0.3 g perfuming oil 0.3 g castor oil 40 mol of ethylene oxide Balance water The solution has a pH of 9.2 and 21 contents of thioglycolic acid of 6.6%.

B. Setting composition 3.2 g hydrogen peroxide (as H 0.7 g phosphoric acid Balance water In an alternative embodiment the following setting solution was used instead of the composition B: 9 g of urea peroxide in powder or tablet form dissolved prior to use in 91 g water.

The hair was per-wetted with 50 g of the above-listed permanent wave solution and was then rolled up on permanent wave rollers. The hair in rolled up condition was then premeated with the balance (50 g) of the permanent wave solution. In an alternative embodiment it was shielded with a hood-shaped plastic cover.

After acting on the hair for about to minutes the rolled up hair was then impregnated with 50 g of the above-listed setting agent without any intermediate rinsing. This resulted in generation of heat which was clearly noticeable to the party being treated.

After 2 minutes the rollers were removed and the hair was treated with the remainder (50 g) of the setting lotion. The latter was left on the hair for another I to 3 minutes. The hair was then rinsed with water and finally treated in customary manner to obtain the desired style.

It was found that with 50 ml each of the permanent wave solution and of the setting solution mixed in a beaker and an initial temperature of 23C the temperature increased to 58.5C within I minute.

In case of a comparative test where the same solution as shaping agent as in Example 1 at A was employed but the ammonium salt of glyoxylic acid was omitted though the shaping agent was mixed under the same condition with the setting agent and applied in the same manner the temperature increased to only 385C.

EXAMPLE 2 For a permanent wave treatment the following solutions were employed in the same manner of treatment as described in Example I:

A. Permanent wave solution lO.7 g 2.5 g 2.0 g 2.0 g

ammoniumthiolactate ammoniumcarbonate ammoniumhydrogencarbonate ascorbic acid (previously neutralized with ammonia) 0.6 g ammonium salt of glyoxylic acid 0.5 g octylphenol 20 mol ethylene oxide perfuming oil 0.3 g Balance water In an alternative embodiment the same amount of magnesium salt of glyoxylic acid was used instead of the 0.6 g of ammonium salt of the same acid.

B. Setting composition 2.0 g sodium laurylalcoholdiglycolether sulfate (28% aqueous solution) 2.5 g hydrogen peroxide (as H 0 0.3 g phosphric acid Balance water 50 ml of solutions A and B were mixed in a beaker glass resulting in a temperature increase to 48 C.

EXAMPLE 3 In a permanent straightening treatment the following creams were employed:

After applying the cream at A to the curly hair the hair was repeatedly combed. The straightening effect occurred after a time of about minutes. The setting cream was then applied and spread with a comb. After a period of about 5 minutes the straightened hair was rinsed with water and then treated in conventional form to obtain the desired hair style.

By mixing 50 g each of creams A and B in a beaker a temperature increase to 50C was obtained.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can be applying current knowledge readily adapt if for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptions should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. A hair shaping composition comprising a salt of a mercapto carboxylic acid together with a salt of ascorbic or glyoxylic acid.

2. The hair shaping composition of claim 1 wherein the salt of the mercapto carboxylic acid is a water soluble salt of thioglycolic acid or thiolactic acid.

3. The hair shaping composition of claim 1 wherein said salt is an ammonium, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt of ascorbic or glyoxylic acid.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the salt of ascorbic or glyoxylic acid is a water soluble ammonium, alkalai or earth alkali salt.

5. The shaping composition of claim 1 wherein the salts of ascorbic and/or glyoxylic acid are present in an amount of 2 to 4% by weight of the total shaping composition.

6. The shaping composition of claim 4 wherein the said water soluble salt is a lithium, sodium, potassium or magnesium salt.

7. The process of permanently shaping human hair comprising prewetting the hair with a hair shaping composition comprising a salt of a mercapto carboxylic acid together with a salt of ascorbic or glyoxylic acid, thereafter rolling the prewetted hair up on permanent wave rollers, applying a further amount of said shaping composition onto said rolled up hair, permitting the shaping composition to act on the hair and then applying a setting composition containing hydrogen peroxide or an addition compound thereof without any intermediate rinsing.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the addition compound of the hydrogen peroxide is urea peroxide, melamine peroxide or sodium perborate.

9. The process of claim 7 wherein the hair shaping composition is permitted to act on the hair for about 15 to 20 minutes whereupon the said setting composition is applied.

10. The process of claim 7 wherein said shaping composition is permitted to act on the hair for 15 to 20 minutes whereupon a portion of the setting compound is applied without intermediate rinsing, the rollers are then removed after the setting agent has acted on the hair for about 2 to 3 minutes, followed finally by applying the remainder of the setting composition and permitting it to act on the hair for another 1 to 3 minutes.

11. The process of claim 7 wherein for the purpose of a straightening treatment the hair is subjected to repeated combing while the shaping composition acts upon it followed by application of said setting composition.

12. The process of claim 7 wherein the shaping composition is applied in the form of a solution or emulsion for hair waving purposes and in form of a cream or gel for hair straightening purposes.

13. The process of claim 11 wherein the shaping composition is permitted to act on the hair for about 10 to 20 minutes while the hair is repeatedly combed whereupon the setting composition is applied to the hair without intermediate rinsing for a period of about 3 to 7 minutes followed by rinsing of the hair. 

1. A HAIR SHAPING COMPOSITION COMPRISING A SALT OF A MERCAPTO CARBOXYLIC ACID TOGETHER WITH A SALT OF ASCORBIC OR GLYOXYLIC ACID.
 2. The hair shaping composition of claim 1 wherein the salt of the mercapto carboxylic acid is a water soluble salt of thioglycolic acid or thiolactic acid.
 3. The hair shaping composition of claim 1 wherein said salt is an ammonium, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt of ascorbic or glyoxylic acid.
 4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the salt of ascorbic or glyoxylic acid is a water soluble ammonium, alkalai or earth alkali salt.
 5. The shaping composition of claim 1 wherein the salts of ascorbic and/or glyoxylic acid are present in an amount of 2 to 4% by weight of the total shaping composition.
 6. The shaping composition of claim 4 wherein the said water soluble salt is a lithium, sodium, potassium or magnesium salt.
 7. The process of permanently shaping human hair comprising prewetting the hair with a hair shaping composition comprising a salt of a mercapto carboxylic acid together with a salt of ascorbic or glyoxylic acid, thereafter rolling the prewetted hair up on permanent wave rollers, applying a further amount of said shaping composition onto said rolled up hair, permitting the shaping composition to act on the hair and then applying a setting composition containing hydrogen peroxide or an addition compound thereof without any intermediate rinsing.
 8. The process of claim 7 wherein the addition compound of the hydrogen peroxide is urea peroxide, melamine peroxide or sodium perborAte.
 9. The process of claim 7 wherein the hair shaping composition is permitted to act on the hair for about 15 to 20 minutes whereupon the said setting composition is applied.
 10. The process of claim 7 wherein said shaping composition is permitted to act on the hair for 15 to 20 minutes whereupon a portion of the setting compound is applied without intermediate rinsing, the rollers are then removed after the setting agent has acted on the hair for about 2 to 3 minutes, followed finally by applying the remainder of the setting composition and permitting it to act on the hair for another 1 to 3 minutes.
 11. The process of claim 7 wherein for the purpose of a straightening treatment the hair is subjected to repeated combing while the shaping composition acts upon it followed by application of said setting composition.
 12. The process of claim 7 wherein the shaping composition is applied in the form of a solution or emulsion for hair waving purposes and in form of a cream or gel for hair straightening purposes.
 13. The process of claim 11 wherein the shaping composition is permitted to act on the hair for about 10 to 20 minutes while the hair is repeatedly combed whereupon the setting composition is applied to the hair without intermediate rinsing for a period of about 3 to 7 minutes followed by rinsing of the hair. 